Continuing to target terrorists in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region, suspected American drones fired several missiles at a house linked to a top militant, leaving 12 people dead, officials said.

The drone fired several missiles at the local house of a tribesman at Tul Khel area in North Waziristan before dawn, witnesses said. Tul Khel is located in mountains about a kilometre from Miranshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan.

Witnesses also said they had heard drones flying over the area before the attack.

It was the second such strike in North Waziristan in three days. US drones fired a volley of missiles at a seminary run by senior Taliban [Images] leader Jalaluddin Haqqani on September 9, killing 20 people, including some top Al-Qaeda [Images] operatives.

The missile strike came close on the heels of a warning by Pakistan Army [Images] chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani that foreign forces would not be allowed to conduct operations within the country. He also said that such attacks would prove counter-productive.

Military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said on Thursday that the Pakistan Army had been given orders to retaliate against attacks by foreign forces. A decision on retaliatory action would be taken at the appropriate time, he added.